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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. RICHARD. SHEARS No. 437,621. Patented Sept. 30, 1890;

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SHEARS. I No. 437,621. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

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lWIliLIAM RICHARD, on BLOOMVILLE'OHIO,VASSIGNOR on TWO-THIRDS TO LAFAYETTE HOSSLER AND DALLAS HULL, on SAME PLACE.

SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,621, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed July 29, 1890. Serial No. 360,280- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM RICHARD, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Bloomville, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shears; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to shears. Heretofore it has been customary to secure the two blades of a pair of shears together by means of a screw, the under side of the head of which is conical in form and adapted to fit within a similarly-shaped recess or countersink in due of the blades. It has been found in practice that after the shears have been used for any length of time the opening in p the blade having the countersink becomes worn to such a degree as to allow the said blade to wabble or work loosely upon its pivot, thereby tending to grind or wear off the out ting-edges of the blades. Moreover, after the shears have been used for any great length of time the threads on the screw become worn off by means of the movable blade grinding against them, so that it becomes impossible to tighten the screw to take up any play between the blades.

It is the object of this invention to overcome these obstacles in a simple and efiective manner by constructing the pivot in such a way that any play between the blades may be taken up in an instant of time; andto these ends the invention consists, broadly, in a pair of shears the inner surface of the blades of which is provided at their pivotal point with semi-spherical recesses, in combination with a sphere fitting in the said recesses; further more,in combination with the blades provided on their inner surface with semi-spherical recesses at their pivotal point and a sphere fitting in the said recesses, of a clamp fitting over the blades and having a thumb-nut carrying a sphere adapted to fit in a recess formed on the upper side of one of the blades, whereby the said blades may be clamped securely together; and, finally, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a pair of shears, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shears. Fig. 2 is a detailview of one of the blades, showing the spherical recess therein. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the other blade, showing the spherical recess in which the pivot-ball fits. Fig. 4. is a crosssection taken on the line a: a; of Fig. 1, showing the various parts of the device intact.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the clamp, and Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of another form of clamp which may be used instead of that shown in Fig. 5.

, Referring to the drawings, A designates the shears, consisting of the blades 1 and 2, which are of the ordinary construction, with the exception that the usual screw-openings are omitted, and in their place are formed on the inner surface of the blades semi-spherical recesses 3, in which fits a ball lwhen the blades are placed together, as shown in Fig. 1, and more clearly shown in Fig. 4. This ball may be made of any suitable material, but preferably, in this instance, of rolled steel.

B designates the clamp for holding the blades together. This clamp is of sufficient size to fit loosely over the pivotal point of the shears, and is' provided on one side with a threaded opening, in which works a thumbscrew 5, the lower end of which is concaved, as shown at 6, to form a bearing for a ball or sphere 7, which ball or sphere is adapted to fit within the recess 8 of the blade 2.

When the shears are put together, as shown in Fig. 4, the ball4 is first placed in the spherical recesses 3, and the clamp is then placed over the blades and the ball 7 allowed to rest in the recess 8. The thumb-nut 5 is then turned until the blades are brought together as close as required for doing good work. If after the shears have been used any length of time it is found that they have become loosened to such a degree as to prevent their cutting properly, it is only necessary to turn the thumb nut, when any play between the blades will be taken up.

If desired, the clamp shown in Fig. 6 may be used instead of that shown in Fig. 5. This clamp, instead of being a hollow parallelogram, as shown, is provided with toes 9, adapted to clamp against the under side of the shears.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that while this construction is exceedingly simple it will be found of the highest efficiency and durability in use and will permit of a pair of shears being kept in better order and for a greater length of time than where the ordinary screw isemployed. Should the spheres become Worn from long use, they may be readily replaced, thereby rendering it unnecessary to put the owner to the expense of having a mechanic do the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pair of shears having ball-bearing pivots and a clamping device provided with a similar ball-bearing, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a pairof shears having their blades provided on their inner side and at their pivotal point with a semispherical recess, of a ball fitting in the said 30 recess, and a clamp for holding the blades together, substantially as described.

3. In a pair of shears, the combination, with the blade provided with a ball-bearing, of a clamp fitting over the blades and carrying a 35 thumb-nut provided with a similar ball-bearing, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto atfixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM RICHARD.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN MCDONALD, WALTER SFITLER. 

